H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), announced that 50 per cent of Rashid Hospital Tunnels had been completed and preparations had been made for the basic traffic diversion under Phase II of the project which would enable the contractor construct the remaining tunnel units. 19 tunnel units out of a total 30 units had been completed which accounted for 65% of the required works under the initial phase of the project. Installation of the electromechanical fittings would be initiated after opening the second stage of the traffic diversion. Works in surface roads outside the tunneling area had so far reached a 75 per cent completion rate.

“Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project; which costs about 705 million dirham, is part of RTA master plan to alleviate traffic jams in the vicinity of Rashid Hospital and improve traffic flow in the area. Upon completion of the project the capacity of roads within the project zone is set to rise to about 6000 vehicles per hour” stated Al Tayer.

“The project comprises construction of roads and two tunnels to serve the traffic inbound from Tariq bin Ziyad and Umm Harir Roads and outbound to the intersection of Riyadh Road with the extension of the Floating Bridge, with each tunnel comprising two lanes in width. The first tunnel branches out of Tariq bin Ziyad Road beneath Al Maktoum Bridge, and the second tunnel, inbound from Umm Harir Road, passes through Oud Maitha Park, and the two tunnels converge to make a 4-lane tunnel heading to Riyadh Road via Rashid Hospital. The project also encompasses converting Riyadh Road intersection with the extension of the Floating Bridge into a 4-lane road. A road will be constructed to serve the traffic inbound from the Floating Bridge heading towards Tariq bin Ziyad Road” added Al Tayer.

Tellingly, RTA undertook several projects in this area of Bur Dubai to ease traffic bottlenecks and increase the intake of roads in order to cater to the urban expansion and resulting vehicular traffic. RTA had constructed the Floating Bridge, which is just half a kilometer off Al Maktoum Bridge, comprising 6 lanes extending from the surface intersection near City Center and Dubai Golf Club (Deira) and terminating at the would-be constructed intersection at Riyadh Road. The project included modifications with the aim of improving the efficiency of the intersection in the vicinity of Riyadh Road; where R/As on the way to the Creek Park had been converted into signalized junctures. The project also involved construction of an extra lane linking between Khalid bin Al Waleed and Oud Maitha Roads on the one hand, and Al Ittihad Road and Deira on the other.

RTA had also widened Al Maktoum Bridge from 9 to 11 lanes and the project also encompassed widening of roads leading to the Bridge and the approach to the Bridge at Umm Harir Road from two to three lanes; which added to the capacity eased the flow of traffic inbound from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Deira. It also included the improvement of Khalid bin Al Waleed Road to ease the pressure on this vital road in order to improve its traffic flow towards Deira. Bridge improvement and widening works also included increasing the number of lanes from Deira heading to Bur Dubai from 4 to 6 lanes spanning the total length of the Bridge.

Al Tayer stressed that RTA would carry on with the improvement of key roads in the city of Dubai as part of the vital projects undertaken to upgrade and improve roads, and provide advanced services at residential areas; which is part of the strategy and ongoing endeavours of the RTA to keep pace with the urbanization drive, and meet the requirements of growth and demographic expansion in the Emirate.Caption: Mattar Al Tayer Work in Rashid Hospital Tunnels progresses according to plan Work progress in the roads surrounding the tunnel area

Dubai, UAE: February 27, 2010: When it comes to witnessing the sweeping vistas of the world, Mr Barry E. Wilmore and Dr Robert L. Satcher Jr have seen it all – from space.

In Dubai on a private visit organised by GEMS Education, the two astronauts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), were treated to another awe-inspiring bird’s-eye view of the city – this time, from the highest point in the city, Burj Khalifa.

On the first-ever visit of a NASA team to the Middle East, the two astronauts toured At the Top, the world’s highest observatory deck with an outdoor terrace on level 124 of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, developed by Emaar Properties.

Mr Wilmore and Dr Satcher Jr were accompanied on their tour by the senior management of GEMS Education and Emaar Properties.

They expressed their fascination with the unique panorama that At the Top presented as well as the entire walk-through experience featuring the story and evolution of Dubai and Burj Khalifa.